Far North

Fair Board Faces Critical Racing Decision Tomorrow

The Humboldt County Fair Association Board of Directors will meet tomorrow facing a decision its members say may shape the very future of the iconic annual event. At issue is whether the association should pursue holding a horse racing meet — a staple of the yearly event going back generations — even as the industry is in a state of collapse. Should the board choose to move forward, it will do so without the help of the California Association of Racing Fairs, which has historically provided much of the logistical and financial heavy lifting. That means the fair association would be solely responsible for borrowing or purchasing necessary equipment, securing and paying for federal and state licenses, gathering purse money, negotiating contracts with betting agencies and simulcast providers, and recruiting horses and trainers to fill the races. As Board President Andy Titus explained it to the Journal some weeks ago, the board faces competing fears. On the one hand, it’s long been believed racing is the proverbial rising tide that lifts all ships and that while it in and of itself may not be profitable

Far North

‘Separate But Equal’

Editor: In asking how 300 people could be wrong in their support of another elite retirement community in McKinleyville, I’m reminded of the 77 million that just voted to put billionaires in charge of national policy (the advertisement for Life Plan Humboldt, Feb. 13). Any institution, small business or “nonprofit” accessing public resources and subsidies used to advantage privileged individuals merits public outrage. The cruel fallacy of “separate but equal” has expanded with bipartisan support. Life Plan Humboldt founders could have avoided costly visits to similar Life Care Communities by visiting their websites where all-white boards of directors and residents reflect an expected outcome from $650,000 entry fees, thousands more in monthly charges to stay and additional user-fees for services … mirroring billionaire’s priorities for the nation. “We’re living in one of the most segregated versions of American society that has ever existed where democratic leadership fails to counterpunch against oligarchs, at a minimum, by publicly articulating universal programs helping working class families,” U.C. Irvine professor Catherine Liu said commenting on her book: Virtue Hoarders, The Case Against The Professional Managerial Class. Instead, the nation’s

Far North

‘Like Drunk Drivers’

Editor: Anti-vaxers are like drunk drivers, maybe worse (Mailbox, Jan. 16). Both anti-vaxers and drunk drivers think that what they want to do is more important than other people’s lives. Many drunk drivers acknowledge that drunk driving is wrong. But they delude themselves: “But I’m not drunk” or “I can handle it.” Anti-vaxers don’t even admit they’re doing wrong. Some get very sanctimonious, claiming it’s their constitutional right. It’s not. Read the Constitution! There is nothing in the Constitution that allows an individual to “pursue happiness” in such a way as to harm others. That would include causing avoidable deaths. At present there is a flu epidemic that is killing more people than COVID (which also can be prevented with a vaccine). And there is a whooping cough epidemic. Some people cough so hard they crack a rib. But the great majority of people who die from whooping cough are infants — because they’re too young to receive vaccines. Is avoiding an injection worth an infant’s life? Or the lives of seniors or people who have chronic diseases? There are significant criminal penalties for drunk driving. Anti-vaxers should be dealt with the same way. Robert Argenbright, McKinleyville…

San Diego

Employees at San Diego Starbucks location seek to join union

(FOX5/KUSI) — Starbucks employees at a San Diego location filed a petition on Monday with the National Labor Relations Board, initiating the unionization voting process among existing employees. Employees at a Starbucks in Stonecrest Plaza, located inside a grocery store, filed the petition. A statement from Starbucks Workers United said that the unionization efforts seek better protections on living wages, respect for racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling. Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said in a statement to FOX5SanDiego.com, “At Starbucks, our success starts and ends with our partners (employees). We respect our partners’ right to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union or not to be represented by a union and will continue to work together to make Starbucks the best job in retail.” Lineup revealed for San Diego’s Holo Holo Music Festival The filing with the NLRB lists 13 employees, and the unionization vote will include all full-time and regular part-time baristas and shift supervisors and will exclude all managers, supervisors and office staff. When the vote happens, employees will have the opportunity to choose to join

San Diego

San Diego could get cloudy and rainy in the first days of March

SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — The warming trend in the San Diego area still has enough in it to bump temperatures to some of the warmest so far this year on Thursday. Thursday daytime highs are expected to reach the low 80s for coastal communities with mid to upper 80s in some inland valleys. Temperature records will be in jeopardy for San Diego, Ramona, Escondido, El Cajon, Oceanside and others.  Sign up to receive weather alert emails from FOX5/KUSI Patchy fog is expected again along the coast late Wednesday into Thursday, but abundant sunshine and well-above-average temperatures are expected west of the mountains. A cooling trend sets in for the weekend as a series of low-pressure systems move inland off the coast. The first could bring some drizzle to scattered light rain early Saturday morning but the system behind it is more promising for widespread light rain Sunday into Monday.

San Diego

Brush fire reported in East County near Mt. Laguna

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Firefighters are responding to a brush fire burning near Mt. Laguna in East County Wednesday afternoon. According to Cal Fire, the fire — dubbed the Penny Fire — was reported in the area of Sunrise Highway and Penny Pine Trailhead shortly before 2 p.m. and was about two to three acres with a moderate rate of spread. As of 3:35 p.m., the Cleveland National Forest tweeted forward rate of spread was stopped at nine acres and crews were making “good progress.” Authorities initially believed the fire had potential to burn 25 to 50 acres. No structures were threatened. Cal Fire is assisting Cleveland National Forest fire crews with the incident. People are advised to avoid the area as crews work to contain the fire. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

San Diego

Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants in and near San Diego

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — When French brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their tire company in 1889 and created a small how-to guide for travelers to help boost sales, they did not anticipate that the list would become the most coveted accomplishment for restaurants worldwide. In 1926, the Michelin Guide began awarding a single star to fine dining establishments. The three-star system was introduced five years later, followed by the official criteria for the rankings in 1936. According to its website, one star is awarded for “high-quality cooking — worth a stop,” two stars are for “excellent cooking — worth a detour” and three stars are for “exceptional cuisine — worth a special journey.” Only two restaurants in San Diego County have earned Michelin stars — and only one has earned three — but several others have been recognized in the guide. Here are the San Diego-area restaurants with Michelin stars: Addison Three stars 5200 Grand Del Mar Way. Housed in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar luxury hotel, Addison is San Diego County’s only three-star restaurant helmed by chef William Bradley. The guide reads

Sacramento

Apple to fix iPhone dictation glitch that suggests replacing the word ‘racist’ with ‘Trump’

Thursday, February 27, 2025 12:13AM Apple said it will fix an iPhone dictation glitch that suggests replacing the word “racist” and some words with the “r” consonant with “Trump.” Apple is fixing a bug within the dictation feature on some iPhones that briefly suggests the word “Trump” when a word with an “r” consonant is spoken, including “racist.” The company is responding to the controversy after some iPhone owners posted videos on social media this week to detail how the glitch works. When users activated the dictation feature and said the word “racist,” the word “Trump” appears in the text window before quickly being replaced by the correct word, according to various videos posted online. “We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday. The company said that the speech recognition models that power the voice-to-text feature might show words with some phonetic overlap. It also said that other words that have an “r” consonant were also erroneously triggering the

Sacramento

Thousands of University of California workers go on strike alleging unfair bargaining tactics

Thursday, February 27, 2025 12:12AM Thousands of University of California physician assistants, optometrists, and other health care and custodial workers went on strike Wednesday. SAN FRANCISCO — Tens of thousands of University of California physician assistants, optometrists, and other health care and custodial workers went on strike Wednesday over alleged unfair labor practices and staffing shortages. The strikes by two unions representing nearly 60,000 health care and service workers are separate and come after the unions and 10-campus university system failed to reach a new contract. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME Local 3299, and the University Professional Technical Employees (UPTE)-CWA Local 9119, or UPTE, also went on strike in November alleging unfair bargaining tactics, which the university system denied. AFSCME Local 3299 represents about 37,000 employees, including respiratory therapists, pharmacy techs, mental health workers, custodians and gardeners. It said the strike comes weeks after it filed new charges with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board over what it says are unfair labor practices by the university. “Instead of addressing the decline in real wages that has fueled

Sacramento

1 of 2 teenagers dies after being hit by vehicle in Sanger, police say

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) — One of the two teenagers hit by a vehicle in Sanger Tuesday night has died from their injuries. Sanger police say around 7:20 p.m., a vehicle hit a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl as they were crossing the road at Bethel and Almond avenues. Both were taken to a local hospital, where the boy died of his injuries. Mayor Frank Gonzalez says this hits close to home for the community. “It was basically a gut punch, you know something like this happened almost a year ago and it just made me relive that moment of just feeling of sorrow,” said Mayor Gonzalez. Last March, 10-year-old Jameson Doyle also died in Sanger after being hit by a car just down the road from this crash. Acting police chief Jason Boust says in Tuesday’s crash, the driver didn’t see the teenagers and it’s unclear if they were using the crosswalk. He adds that this is a reminder for everyone to be vigilant. “No matter what your age is you have to look both ways, you have to use your ears, you have

Sacramento

Oscars 2025: How and where to watch

LOS ANGELES — You won’t want to miss all the pre-show action on the red carpet, the 97th Academy Awards ceremony, and all the post-show excitement. Here’s how to and where to watch the 2025 Oscars. When are the Oscars? The 97th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Watch the Robin Roberts “20/20” Oscars Special Edition On Friday, Feb. 28 on ABC at 8/7c as “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts hosted a special filled with surprises from the stars and sit-down interviews with Oscar nominees, including Cynthia Erivo, nominated in the Best Actress category for her role as Elphaba in the feature film “Wicked” and actor Jesse Eisenberg nominated in the Original Screenplay category for “A Real Pain” co-starring Best Supporting Actor nominee Kieran Culkin. Roberts shared a rare behind-the-scenes look at the gravity-defying dresses worn by the stars of “Wicked” with Paul Tazewell who is nominated for Best Costume Design. Additional interviews included Oscar-nominated directors Coralie Fargeat of “The Substance” and James Mangold of “A Complete Unknown.” The special also put a spotlight

Sacramento

Horse racing at this year’s Big Fresno Fair canceled

In 2024, three horses were euthanized during their time at the Big Fresno Fair for injuries and illness. Thursday, February 27, 2025 7:21AM The Big Fresno Fair has announced live horse racing will not be a part of this year’s fair. FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The Big Fresno Fair has announced live horse racing will not be a part of this year’s fair. Officials made the announcement Wednesday afternoon citing industry changes and other longstanding challenges as the reason for postponing the races this year. Other reasons included uncertainty about the availability of horses, increased financial risk, and lack of a racing management collective for Northern California Fairs. The California Authority of Racing Fairs voted unanimously at the end of January to not seek a Summer race meet application. A fair spokesperson wasn’t available for an interview but in a statement, the CEO, Christine Estrada, wrote: “This tough decision was made with careful consideration for the long-term economic health of The Big Fresno Fair…” It goes on to say “We remain committed to exploring all options in an ever-evolving industry situation..” Estrada says the fair

Los Angeles

Meet the world’s newest class: the ‘Superbillionaire

It’s a new category of the ultra-rich: the Superbillionaire. According to The Wall Street Journal, there are now two dozen people in the world whose net worth is at least $50 billion. So, who’s on the list? Obviously, Elon Musk is on top. He has a net worth of about $419 billion, which is—wait for it—more than two million times as much as the typical American household. Also on the list is Jeff Bezos, who is worth $264 billion; Mark Zuckerberg, who is worth $221 billion and Google’s Sergey Brin, who is worth $160 billion. None of these names are a big surprise. The Wall Street Journal, though, notes that the ultra-rich in the 19th and 20th centuries were industrialists. We’re talking about the Carnegies and the Rockefellers: people who built railroads, steel plants and oil wells. ‘Economic blackout’ planned for Friday: What it aims to accomplish Today’s ultra-rich are basically all in the tech sector, and moreover they’re not building things. Their wealth affixed entirely to the stock price of their related companies, which means their wealth can vacillate by tens of billions of

Los Angeles

Boyle Heights hit-and-run leaves pedestrian in critical condition

Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who left a pedestrian in critical condition in Boyle Heights. On Feb. 5, the victim, a 49-year-old man, was crossing 1st Street, west of Fresno Street shortly before 9 p.m. As he crossed the road, an oncoming Honda Odyssey minivan struck the man, leaving him in critical condition. Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver in an older model Honda Odyssey who left a pedestrian in critical condition in Boyle Heights on Feb. 5, 2025. (Los Angeles Police Department) Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver in an older model Honda Odyssey who left a pedestrian in critical condition in Boyle Heights on Feb. 5, 2025. (Los Angeles Police Department) Surveillance footage from the Los Angeles Police Department showed the driver did not stop to check on the injured man and instead, continued speeding away. Paramedics transported the man to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition. The suspect’s vehicle is a silver, older model (1999-2004) Honda Odyssey. A reward of up to $25,000 is available to anyone who provides information leading to the suspect’s identification

Los Angeles

Man accused of biting ICE officer’s finger during arrest in downtown L.A.

A man from Orange County faces federal charges for allegedly biting the finger of an immigration officer who arrested him in downtown Los Angeles. It happened around 9:50 a.m. Tuesday at the United States Federal Building located at 300 North Los Angeles St., according to a partially redacted affidavit released by the United States Department of Justice. Maksim Zaitsev, 35, of Costa Mesa, was with his wife when he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the courthouse on a warrant from the Department of Homeland Security. Zaitsev, a Russian national, had received a letter the previous week telling him to appear for a case review at the Los Angeles ICE office. The DOJ says that Zaitsev was detained and handcuffed when he arrived for his appointment. As the ICE agents walked him down a hallway to be taken for processing, Zaitsev allegedly became agitated and resisted, calling out to his wife as he dropped his weight to the ground. An Orange County man is accused of attempting to bite off an ICE officers finger during an arrest in downtown

Los Angeles

A Texas child who was not vaccinated has died of measles, a first for the US in a decade

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A child who wasn’t vaccinated died in a measles outbreak in rural West Texas, state officials said Wednesday, the first U.S. death from the highly contagious — but preventable — respiratory disease since 2015. The school-aged child had been hospitalized and died Tuesday night amid the widespread outbreak, Texas’ largest in nearly 30 years. Since it began last month, a rash of 124 cases has erupted across nine counties. The Texas Department of State Health Services and Lubbock health officials confirmed the death to The Associated Press. The child wasn’t identified but was treated at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, though the facility noted the patient didn’t live in Lubbock County. “This is a big deal,” Dr. Amy Thompson, a pediatrician and chief executive officer of Covenant Health, said Wednesday at a news conference. “We have known that we have measles in our community, and we are now seeing a very serious consequence.” In federal response, RFK Jr. appears to misstate several facts Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official and a vaccine critic, said Wednesday that the U.S.

San Diego

Killed while helping homeless, San Ysidro mother remembered on her birthday

A San Ysidro mother of four was delivering clothes to homeless people when she was hit and killed by a car near I-805. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Instead of celebrating a birthday, loved ones were planning a funeral, after a San Ysidro mother known for her charitable work with the homeless was struck and killed on I-805 while delivering supplies. Maria Ramos, 43, a mother of four including two teenagers and a Marine veteran, died a few weeks ago on a Monday morning just blocks from her home. On Wednesday, she would have turned 44. According to the California Highway Patrol, Ramos was in traffic lanes along the southbound I-805 when she was struck by a Honda Accord. She was taken to a hospital where she later died. The driver of the Accord remained at the scene and was not arrested. The investigation is ongoing, with toxicology results for the driver pending. Ramos’ sister, Margarita, described her as a “loving, funny, and dedicated mother” with a “big heart, always willing to give, not wanting anything in return.” A former nursing assistant and caregiver, Ramos regularly

San Diego

Local assemblymember introduces bill to push for insurance reform

According to DeMaio’s Office, the rate stabilization would have an insurance premium rate increase cap at the national average or seven percent, whichever is lower. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – There have been plenty of impactful and devastating wildfires in recent months. There are also plenty of homeowners who are seeing increases and sometimes cancellations on their policies. “California is a very expensive state, and it puts you in a survival mode,” Marynet Martinez, an Alpine Resident, said. Cost of living in the Golden State is a constant worry among many people who call it home. “In 2021, we bought our home in Alpine, California,” Martinez, who moved there from Chula Vista, said. But, for some like Martinez, the cost hits a little too close to home. “We received a letter from both the home insurance and the fire insurance that our insurance had doubled for the home insurance and almost doubled for the fire insurance,” Martinez said. She said that was in July of 2022. Since then, prices for people in fire-prone areas have continued to climb and that’s if you haven’t been dropped. Then

San Diego

SDFC and MTS partner to offer season passes to all 17 home matches

Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. SKY10 SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — This Saturday is the first match day for San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium and it will be a full house, so the club and MTS are partnering up to remind fans the Green Line trolley is the easiest way to get there. “Taking transit means avoiding traffic, parking hassles, and allowing fans to enjoy the match responsibly,” SDFC said in a press release. “Snapdragon Stadium is expected to be at capacity throughout the season, making the Trolley the most convenient way to get to and from matches.” As part of the partnership with SDFC, MTS is offering discounted season passes to get rides to and from the stadium on all 17 match days this year for just $56. There are connections to the Green Line from the Blue and Orange lines, and you can transfer from the COASTER and Amtrak trains at Old Town station. There are free park-and-ride lots at several stops along the trolley lines as well. Plus, SDFC-themed

Sacramento

Kurtenbach: Deebo Samuel’s time with the 49ers is over, and that’s a good thing

Deebo Samuel’s time as a 49er is over. Nothing is official yet, but the fate is unavoidable. Before March 22 — and likely before NFL free agency opens on March 12 — the Niners will cut Samuel with a post-June 1 designation. The deal will save the Niners a few more bucks compared to a more traditional cut. But Samuel won’t be able to save face between now and then. Credit where it’s due: the 49ers and Samuel are trying to manage this exit with some class. That makes this saga a whole lot more palatable than the one that led up to him signing his mega-contract with the 49ers back in 2022. Still, this is an undignified end to the San Francisco career of a truly great player. If only that “great” status applied to last year. The Niners would have been well-served to cut Samuel on their own volition following a season where the receiver caught only 51 of 81 targets and rushed for a paltry 3.2 yards per carry, with a public complaint about not getting the ball sprinkled in for good

Sacramento

SF Giants’ Hicks dials up the heat in Cactus League debut

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jordan Hicks bulked up over the winter in hopes of maintaining his strength – and velocity – as he enters his second season as a mainstay in the Giants’ rotation. Hicks came out firing in his Cactus League debut Wednesday, reaching triple digits multiple times in a 35-pitch outing in the Giants’ 4-4 tie against the Chicago Cubs at Scottsdale Stadium. “This feels like home,” Hicks said. “I’m still earning a spot every day but I feel like I’m part of the rotation and… just want to go out there and have fun.” The San Francisco Giants Jordan Hicks signs autographs during a FanFest event at Napa Yard, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Napa, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) Before joining the Giants last season as a free agent, the 28-year-old Hicks had pitched almost exclusively as a reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals. Hicks uses a sinker as his primary pitch. In 2023, as a reliever, he averaged 100.1 mph on that pitch. In 2024, the sinker dropped to an average of 94.5 mph across a career-high 109.2 innings. From